I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an identification system which can be readily applied to the tongue of footwear but which does not call attention of its presence or of the identification of the wearer to the casual observer.
A substantial need exists to provide toddlers with a ready means of identification in the event they inadvertantly wander from their parents or other companions. This can happen to even the most attentive of people in crowded situations such as often occur at shopping malls and the like. At the same time, it is not desireable to provide vital information regarding the child in some prominent manner such that it could prove advantageous to depraved people such as kidnappers, sexual abusers, and the like.
Another class of beneficiaries might be mentally impaired children or adults who might easily become disoriented if separated from a companion. Then, too, persons such as diabetics or epileptics who are subject to seizures and rendered non communicative during such an event, would benefit from such a system which would desireably provide not only identification, but information regarding the impairment and appropriate methods for treatment.
Runners or joggers would also benefit from the invention. The practice of running or jogging as a means of improving or maintaining physical fitness has become common place in our present society. Much of the running and jogging is performed along traveled thoroughfares and many times in areas where the runner or jogger is unknown. The danger of an accident occurring is always present and frequently, neither the identity of, nor pertinent medical facts concerning, the runner or jogger are available.
II. Description of the Prior Art
The concept of providing footwear with identification devices or compartments for holding valuables belonging to the wearer is admittedly old. In some early instances, as presented in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 348,233 to Phalan, and 1,502,919, to Seib, compartments were provided on the inside, upper regions of a boot or high shoe.
In a variety of other, more recent, constructions, devices with compartments or other provision for placement of important indicia have been utilized, being attached, in one manner or another, by means of the laces which the fasten the footwear to the wearer. Examples of such known constructions are presented in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,712,700, to Solomon, 2,871,537, to Hickerson, 4,254,566, to Haskell, 4,327,512, to Oliver, and 4,507,882 and 4,536,975 to Harrell.
In yet another instance, the tongue itself of a shoe is hollow to receive such items as coins, identification card, keys, and the like. Such a disclosure is presented in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,372,060 to Adamik.
Still another construction is disclosed by Smith in U.S. Pat. No. 2,616,189 which provides a footwear identification plate attached to the underside of a hunting boot by means of an ankle embracing harness. An identification tag passes beneath the shoe arch between heel and sole and is suspended from the harness by a plurality of wires. Of course, while the device of Smith may be satisfactory for purpose of a heavy hunting boot, it is totally unacceptable for lighter footwear, whether casual or for dress purposes.
All of the known devices have drawbacks which have dissuaded the public from their use. For example, the shoe disclosed in Solomon '700, mentioned above, calls for a specialized design to specifically accommodate the device on its vamp. Other previously mentioned constructions such as those disclosed by Hickerson '537, Haskell '566, Oliver '512, and Harrell '882 and '975, are applicable only to footwear utilizing laces. In many of these instances, the devices are provided with holes adapted to receive the laces. Indeed, in many of these instances, the device could inadvertantly separate from the footwear should the laces ever become untied.
There is no known instance of an indicia carrying device provided with a closure having a fluid tight seal as a protection for the contents of the compartment within the device.
It was in recognition of the drawbacks of the known devices and systems that the present invention was conceived and has now been reduced to practice.